Inheritance
by FruitPastilles
Summary: Tsuna inherits a house from his lovable, if slightly estranged grandmother. It's a wonderful place, seaside and greenery. It would be perfect, if not for the weird, crazy and not entirely human neighbours. All27, Arco27 main probably.
1. Chapter 1

Inheritance

Summary: Tsuna inherits a house from his lovable, if slightly estranged grandmother. It's a wonderful place, seaside and greenery. It would be perfect, if not for the weird, crazy and not entirely human neighbours. All27, Arco27 main probably.

* * *

Chapter One – Moving In

"Kyoko-chan," Tsuna laughed, pressing the phone into his face with his shoulder, his hands fumbling with a ring of keys. "I'm fine, I promise. I know you're busy with work and couldn't see me off."

" _But who knows how long it'll be until I see you again?"_ Kyoko's voice was a plaintive whine on the other end of the line. _"I mean, it's not as if you had a train to catch – you drove down!"_

"I know, I know," Tsuna resisted crowing in triumph as he found the key to fit the lock of the door ahead of him. "But I had to be by the realtor's office, so they could give me the keys. I didn't want to put him off schedule."

" _I wish I could be there,"_ Kyoko sighed, the noise like a crackle of static over the receiver. _"I don't like the thought of you out there by yourself."_

The tumblers click as they roll out of place, the noise near drowned out by the rush of the seaside beyond the cottage.

"It's a safe place," Tsuna fiddled with the phone again as he twisted the doorknob, pushing the door open and taking in the interior of the house he could now call his. "I haven't any neighbours for miles, and the town is only twenty minutes away by car – it's great here."

" _Being away from other people doesn't mean safe,"_ Kyoko chastised, and from her end there was a clatter and the soft murmur of voices. _"If you have an accident there's no one around!"_

"I'm not that clumsy," Tsuna mumbled, affronted. "I'm not a kid in middle school anymore." He stepped in, tucking the keys into his jacket pocket as he reached to hold the phone more securely to his ear.

The door opened out into a large combination space of living room and dining room. Beyond an empty doorway was the shine of kitchen appliances, the natural light from the large bay windows across the opposite end of the room throwing everything into bright relief. Tucked against a wall in the far corner was a tight staircase spiralling away upstairs.

"Oh," Tsuna sighed. "It's lovely in here."

The furniture was covered in plastic to protect it from the age of being left alone for the time it had taken Tsuna to inherit.

The pang of loss was still in his heart, at picking up the phone in his apartment back in Namimori, to hear his mother's hitching breath as she had told him his gran had passed away – and instead of passing everything to her only daughter, she'd decreed her seaside cottage and a generous sum of money to Tsuna.

Nana hadn't been bitter, only sad at losing her mother. When the lawyer, a nice if brash man called Gokudera, had finalised the proceedings and Tsuna's bank account was flush with more numbers he'd seen in his life, he'd given a large part of it straight to his mum.

She'd protested, already living a cosy life with the money her husband, his father brought in, but Tsuna wanted her to be comfortable. All the heirlooms he'd given to his mum too. Memories were more precious than riches, and Nana's face had been longing and loss as she'd stroked her fingers over figurines and ceramic alike.

" _I'll have to visit soon,"_ Kyoko promised. _"I haven't even seen it but from the sound of your voice it makes it seem as if you've seen nirvana."_

"It's so big," Tsuna said in wonderment, dragging his fingers over crinkling plastic and gathering a layer of dust to his fingertips. "And bright. The bottom floor alone is bigger than my old place."

" _I'm jealous,"_ Kyoko moaned. _"I still live in a room the size of a postage stamp."_

"You chose to go into nursing," Tsuna teased. "All those extra years of student loans and debt."

" _And what have you achieved with your literature degree,"_ Kyoko mocked back, and the bustle on her side intensified. _"Ah, we'll have to talk later. I've got to go back now. Send me photos! I want to see everything!"_

"Take care Kyoko-chan," Tsuna bade, "Don't work too hard."

Her parting laughter warmed him as she said her farewells and hung up.

Tsuna tucked his phone into the pocket opposite his keys and set about investigating a little more thoroughly now that the cottage could hold all of his attention.

Covered in plastic were a large L-shaped sofa and two separate armchairs. There was a wall mounted television, and on a table between the chairs and piece of technology were a handful of remotes, all covered with a layer of dust.

Across the room, close to the open doorway that led to the kitchen was the dining set, a heavy table made of a rich, dark wood and six chairs to match. There were already placemats, visible under the plastic that covered the table and chairs too.

Making his way through the open doorway, Tsuna found himself in the kitchen, perhaps less than a third the size of the combined room he'd left but still roomy enough. It boasted an oven, a microwave, a large fridge freezer and another assortment of small appliances. There was a small, covered plate on the nearest counter, pinning a note to the marble surface.

 _I'm no good at baking, but I'd thought you'd appreciate a welcoming gift. Welcome to the community! Yamamoto Takeshi._

Tsuna felt himself smile as he peeled back the clingfilm to air out the previously trapped cookies. Yamamoto was the realtor that had given him the keys and led him from the town down winding roads to the seaside cottage before driving off with a cheerful farewell.

"How sweet," Tsuna mused, biting into the slightly firm texture of the cookie. It didn't seem to have much taste, but he was still delighted to find it filled liberally with chocolate chips and that more than made up for it. After all, it was the thought that counted.

He ate two before wiping his fingers on his jeans and turning to the wide set of double doors at the far end of the kitchen. They were made of clear glass, connecting to windows just as clear and beyond them was a sight that took Tsuna's breath away.

The kitchen doors opened to a wooden deck, one side covered with furniture, a table with an umbrella and four chairs scattered around it. The deck was bracketed by a banister, spreading along the edge of the house where Tsuna knew there was also a door that led from the main living room to the same deck.

The banister was unbroken aside from the short set of steps that led directly to the white washed sand of the beach, the sea close enough that Tsuna felt he could touch it.

The cottage had come with a stretch of beach, a private piece of land that Tsuna could call his own. It wasn't large by any means, perhaps just under a hundred metres wide and maybe triple that length. Cliffs rose either side of it, the rough water hewn rock stretching out ever further to make a small private bay, all for Tsuna.

Pulling out his ring of keys, Tsuna eagerly opened the kitchen doors and was greeted by the soft sound of the distant waves hitting the sand, washing patterns into the malleable material.

The sea air was crisp and sharp, a cold wind catching Tsuna's hair and making it flutter. It was overcast, being that it was October and getting forever colder in preparation for the winter months, but Tsuna still found himself traipsing down the steps to let his boots sink into the soft, grainy sand.

He remembered visiting the cottage, once, when his gran was still alive and Tsuna couldn't even boast ten years old. It was in the summer, and he'd built castles with his mum and been chased into the waves, screaming with laughter, by his father, sharing a rare moment where they could be together as a family.

Even then, the cottage had been wonderfully modern despite the age of his gran. He'd expected it to be more traditional, but he appreciated the décor nonetheless.

He felt the urge to take off his boots and socks, to feel the sand between his toes, but instead Tsuna let his feet take him in a slow meander towards the water instead, the waves slow and low as they crashed against rock and sand alike.

He made it closed enough that the spray hit his skin and made his eyes sting, the water threatening to lap at his covered toes and soak his boots. Again, he was hit with the urge to take off his footwear and paddle in the cold water but with a sigh, Tsuna tucked his cold fingers into his jacket pockets.

He stood there for a long time, taking in the peaceful sounds of the water, the wind catching through the cliffs and rustling his hair and clothes. It was welcoming, despite the dark hue to the water, murky depths that Tsuna couldn't see through for lack of the sun in the sky.

Eventually he brought his phone from his pocket and took several long steps back, sweeping his finger up across the screen to open the camera app, letting the picturesque view of the bay get caught in the shape of his screen. It seemed lacking compared to the real thing, but Kyoko had asked him for photos and Tsuna would provide.

He took several pictures, of the ocean, the cliffs, one blurry photo of a lone bird wheeling overhead, diving out from the cover of the cliff edge.

A loud splash drew his attention away from the grey sky and back to the ocean, brow furrowed as he took in a misshapen dark lump several metres out. It was too far to make out clearly, but Tsuna guessed it was just driftwood and the noise simply a wave larger than the others.

Putting his phone away, Tsuna tucked his chin into neck of his jacket and looked out across the ocean again, breathing in the clear sea air. He didn't know what had given his gran the idea to grant the cottage to him, but he was inexplicably glad.

It was in a truly wonderful location, nestled into a private bay on one side and the other side covered by rolling countryside and forest. It made Tsuna feel alone in the world and it was a brilliant feeling, for someone who had grown in a bustling town and gone to a bustling university.

Perhaps he'd be able to give into his fancy of writing a book, backed by his degree. It was a fleeting thought that Tsuna wouldn't mind indulging in. The money he'd been left would cover him well into old age, his gran's wealth a combination of inheritance from her late husband and a lifetime of work, interspersed by diving expeditions that sometimes led to her bringing home treasure, or so she'd said, laughing privately all the while.

There was another splash as Tsuna turned his back to the water and when he peeked over his shoulder the misshapen blob seemed closer, though it still had no colour when the sky had no sun to offer and the waves were still grey.

If it was driftwood he'd probably see it caught in the rockpools or the sand by the morning and he could marvel at the shapes it had been given by the natural motion of the waters. For now, however, he had a car full of clothes and luggage to unpack, and he had to think about making a trip for food.

* * *

Unpacking had consisted of leaving most of his boxes by the front door. He'd heaved the suitcase upstairs, discovering three modestly furnished bedrooms, one with an en-suite, a main bathroom by itself, and a furnished office with bay windows facing the ocean.

The suitcase he left in the bigger bedroom, with the connected bathroom and felt emotion swell in his throat again. He felt thankful again, but also an imposter. His bedroom had been two down the hall, the walls still burnished orange, like a setting sun, his favourite colour when he was no more than eight years old.

It seemed wrong, to take the main bedroom, but equally as wrong to take the old room. If he got the chance, he'd paint, save the memories but make new ones alongside. Tucked in the wardrobe where his clothes would be hung were the bedsheets, and before making his way back downstairs Tsuna fumbled with making the king-sized bed so he wouldn't have to fuss later in the day.

Eventually he found himself in his car, phone hooked up so he could follow the GPS to the town, the address of his new home plugged in so he could just as easily make his way home.

As focused as he had been on following Yamamoto that morning, Tsuna found that with a voice to guide him and not a car he had to follow, he could appreciate the environment more. The green of the hills and green of the trees was beautiful, and more than once his car passed through a tunnel made of bowing branches.

The town was almost a blot on the countryside, if it didn't blend seamlessly with its surroundings, idyllic little houses and a myriad of shops and stores scattered here and there. The only large store it held was the grocery store and even that was locally owned and manned, instead of being part of a corporate chain.

Tsuna parked in the small carpark attached to the side of it, aware of heads turning to face him, faces peeking at him through subtle gestures and movements as he climbed out of his car and locked it, patting his pockets several times to double check he had his phone and wallet.

There was a small nest of trolleys outside and Tsuna gratefully took one, feeling a shiver run down his spine as he stepped through the automatic doors into the store and was hit by a wave of air conditioning.

It was cosy inside, however reminiscent of larger stores as it was. Tsuna made his way slowly down the closest aisles, peering closely at the shelves so he could remember where everything was for future trips.

He was just reaching high for a bag of sugar, cursing his height, when someone stepped up alongside him, reached up with barely a stretch, and grabbed it down for him.

"Sawada-san," a curt voice greeted him, and Tsuna looked up from the bag of sugar that had been deposited into his hands and saw the familiar features of his gran's lawyer.

"Gokudera-san," Tsuna greeted warmly, placing the bag of sugar to nestle amongst his other groceries. "I wasn't aware you lived locally."

"I do," Gokudera agreed amiably, stuffing his hands into his pockets.

"It must have been quite the journey," Tsuna continued, "But thank you for visiting in Namimori all those times in order to finalise the affairs. You made a difficult time…you made it easier."

Tsuna's hands tightened around the handle of his trolley for a long moment, and it made something stick in his throat when he noticed Gokudera's attention drawn to the movement.

"It was no worry," Gokudera said quietly. "I live here, but one of our branches is situated in Namimori anyway. If not for your family, I might have been required to go there anyway. It's in the job description. And…" his face did something funny that Tsuna couldn't read, but Gokudera forged on regardless, "your grandmother was a close part of this community. It was the least I could do."

"Ah, she was very social wasn't she," Tsuna agreed, feeling his hands relax as a smile crossed his face. "Forever chatting with people she'd meet on the street, though I suppose in a place as small as this you're bound to know at least someone."

"Are you settling in?" Gokudera asked, and stepped to the side to let someone walk by, curious eyes crossing over Tsuna.

"Should we walk?" Tsuna replied after apologising for obstructing the aisle, and Gokudera nodded, letting Tsuna continue his amble down the sleek tiles as he looked at the items and added to his mental list of groceries.

"I only arrived today," Tsuna added, "but it's a lovely place and I really think I'm going to enjoy it."

Gokudera's brow furrowed.

"The estate was finalised last week."

"Oh, I know. The realtor who had the keys said he was only free today, so today it was." Tsuna shrugged a shoulder and snagged something off the shelf.

"Damn idiot," Gokudera muttered under his breath and Tsuna faltered, hand still gripping a box of cereal.

"Not you!" Gokudera flushed at being caught out and it was such a surprise on the normally stoic man's face that Tsuna couldn't help but smile.

"Yamamoto," Gokudera continued, eager to redeem himself. "He holds the weirdest of schedules because not many houses go for sale here. Nobody wants to leave, so not many people get to come in and he works as he pleases."

"Ah," Tsuna laughed then. "Though, I can understand not wanting to leave. Yamamoto-san is a nice man though. He left me cookies."

Gokudera's face went through several motions that Tsuna couldn't describe and he wondered if he should call for help, or make sure Gokudera was okay before all of a sudden Gokudera was bowing deeply at the waist.

"I've forgotten a prior engagement," Gokudera said between grit teeth. "Please, excuse me."

"It's fine, it's fine!" Tsuna quickly placated. "But, before you go – the number we used to correspond, is that your number or the practice's number? I – if it's not too presumptuous, I'd like to invite you to dinner someday. As thanks!"

Gokudera snapped back upright, eyes wide with an emotion Tsuna couldn't name before he was digging into his pockets, fiddling with his phone before holding a slim device forward, the phone screen lit up and showing a number.

"My number," he said gruffly. "If the offer for dinner is legit."

Tsuna quickly dug out his own phone to enter the number Gokudera had presented on the screen for him. Another minute, and Gokudera's phone buzzed, the screen lighting up with the presence of a new message.

 _Good afternoon!_

Gokudera gave a small smile down at his phone before bowing again, this time more subdued and less tight.

"Thank you, Sawada-san. Enjoy the rest of your day. I look forward to hearing from you soon."

"Of course! Have a good day, Gokudera-san," Tsuna waved as Gokudera strode purposefully for the exit, shoulders almost hunched as if with ire. What a strange man, Tsuna decided, but energetic in his own way.

When Tsuna got to the register, there was a bored looking teen leaning against the counter flipping through a gaudy looking magazine. He was so engrossed in his quest to alleviate boredom that he visibly recoiled and flinched as Tsuna set the first item down on the conveyer belt.

"Sorry," Tsuna offered, half in the motion of setting down the second item. The boy stared at him, agape for a long second before his face flushed and he ducked his head, curly hair falling in front of his eyes.

"I wasn't scared," the teen muttered petulantly, but he was no longer slouched as he watched Tsuna load the belt with groceries. When Tsuna set the last item down and began rolling the trolley towards the end where he could recover his food, the boy snapped back into action, the first three items already scanned before Tsuna could wheel the trolley back around.

"Not seen you before," the teen said slowly and quietly, as if unsure he could start a conversation.

"I moved here today," Tsuna offered. "Oh, but by here I mean it's more…towards the seaside, nearly a half hour out. I suppose I'll have to buy an icebox if I don't want my groceries to defrost when summer comes around…where are my manners though. I'm Sawada Tsunayoshi, but you can just call me Tsuna."

The teen's hands had slowed as Tsuna had spoken, but with the reveal of his name he sped back up again and mumbled, "Bovino Lambo. Just call me Lambo."

"Lambo," Tsuna sounded it out.

"It's foreign," Lambo replied tightly, face pinching as if he were expecting Tsuna to make a remark about the uniqueness of his name. The tightness eased when Tsuna simply smiled.

"Where's the name from, if you don't mind me asking."

"Italian," Lambo said shortly, turning a bag over in his hand so he could count how many apples were in it.

He worked in silence for the next handful of moments, but as Tsuna packed his items into the bags provided, he could feel eyes on his face.

"You're Kaoru's grandson," Lambo finally said into the quiet.

Tsuna started, fumbling a jug of milk.

"You have her eyes," Lambo added, as if it would make sense that he knew exactly who Tsuna's deceased family member was. "Plus, we don't get many new people in and she was the most recent person…out."

"Ah," Tsuna replied slowly, putting another bag into his trolley. Lambo passed the last item over, the bag of sugar that Gokudera had gotten for him and Tsuna tucked that away in one of the already quite full bags.

"She talked about you a lot too," Lambo waited as Tsuna rearranged his bags, so nothing would fall over and so the bread and eggs were safe. "Are you paying cash or card?"

"Card," Tsuna decided upon seeing the cost, and dug in his pockets to drag out his wallet. By the time he had his card ready the cost was somehow lower, and Lambo was fiddling with a small sheaf of papers and a small piece of plastic.

"If you fill this in you can get loyalty points whenever you spend," Lambo said as if he hadn't just discounted Tsuna's groceries. "And you can use it to get some things free or discounted not just here but at the gas station and the…ugh, I don't know why he offers it, but you can use it at the antiques store too."

"Thank you," Tsuna accepted the papers and folded them carefully into his pocket, taking the plastic loyalty card that Lambo scanned before handing over. After that Tsuna was allowed to pay, entering his pin and watching as the receipt printed before Lambo handed that over too.

When he took the receipt, their fingers brushed and Tsuna was startled by the electric shock.

Lambo froze and Tsuna only saw the beginning of horror before Lambo's expression was flat again and he snatched his hand back.

"Haha, sorry about that," Lambo tittered nervously. "The conveyor belt, you know. Static."

"It's alright," Tsuna smiled reassuringly. "Things happen."

"Yeah," Lambo gave another, quieter laugh. "We'll be seeing you round then?"

There was a hopeful lilt to his voice and Tsuna shrugged a shoulder as if in joke as he replied, "Well, I don't see any other stores around here to do shopping at."

Lambo puffed out his chest.

"That's because we're the best!"

"I'll hold you to that," Tsuna promised, and made his way to the exit, feeling almost aware of Lambo watching him leave. Before he stepped out he offered a wave, and the small teen offered a tiny dip of his head in response, as if embarrassed.

Tsuna had only pushed the trolley half way to his car before he was made aware that there was a police officer stood next to his passenger side door, tall and imposing.

His first thought was panic, an ingrained set of guilt despite the fact he'd done nothing remotely illegal in his life. And as if the police officer had sensed his thoughts, the dark head had snapped up from investigating his car to face him.

Tsuna felt the inexplicable urge to flee.

Forcing down the sense of impending doom, Tsuna carried on walking although slower than before, and when he came to a stop by the trunk of his car he tightened his hands on the handle.

"Is, um. Is everything okay officer?" Tsuna winced as his voice broke. The officer's grey eyes cut up and down his figure once, and his tight lips pinched even further.

"You're new," he accused, almost sharply.

Tsuna's fingers were white knuckled and hysterically he wondered if being new was a crime.

"Yes," he hazarded carefully. "I moved here today. Have I – Have I done something wrong?"

The man's face tightened impossibly further to the point Tsuna wondered if he was actually in pain.

"Hibari Kyouya," the officer greeted curtly. He didn't offer a welcome.

"Sawada Tsunayoshi," Tsuna replied and wisely didn't offer his hand. A small part wondered if he'd get it back had he offered.

"Don't do anything stupid. Stay away from the antique store," Hibari warned, and then stalked away. Tsuna didn't move until the dark uniform disappeared around a corner and even then it took him a few more moments to remember how to breathe again.

"What in the hell," Tsuna muttered under his breath as he unlocked the car and began carefully unloading his groceries from the trolley and into the car.

As he slammed the lid of the trunk down and turned to push the trolley back to its bay, a hand gently dropped onto his shoulder and a voice spoke, "I wouldn't listen to Hibari, the store is perfectly safe for a visit, should you wish to do so."

"What the _fuck,"_ Tsuna shrieked, whipping around and accidentally sending the trolley flying, the metal contraption wobbling unhappily and then clattering to the ground in a crash of metal and plastic.

The person who had briefly leaned on him leaned on Tsuna's car instead, smug smile gracing their features.

Tsuna immediately felt creeped out – more so than when faced with the weirdness that had been his encounter with Hibari.

"Rokudo Mukuro," the man simpered, bowing at the waist before he straightened up and sprawled against the boot of the car, elbow pressed into the metal and face pressed into his hand. "I own the antique store dear Hibari was so against you visiting."

"Where did you _come from,"_ Tsuna gasped, feeling his heart still racing in his chest from the fright. Slowly he reached down to straighten the trolley, feeling too uneasy to take his eyes away from the stranger.

"Oh, well, I was here all along," Mukuro pressed a hand to his mouth and Tsuna felt something akin to fear when the grown, well dressed man opposite giggled into a gloved palm.

Tsuna stared at him for long moment, holding the handle to the trolley tightly as if it were grounding him. And then, totally unrepentant because this guy had dicked with him first, he lifted his key fob and watched, with great satisfaction, as the alarm to his car was set off with the click of a button.

Mukuro, entirely unprepared as Tsuna had been, flailed unattractively for a very long moment to get away from the suddenly shrieking and flashing vehicle. He managed to stay upright but looked particularly ruffled as he took a step to the side to regain his bearings.

"Rokudo-san," Tsuna said cordially. "I have groceries that need to stay cold. Thank you for the introduction and invitation. Have a good day."

Mukuro cocked his head to the side in a truly uncanny manner, and it served to make his hair move in such a way Tsuna was made aware that one of his eyes was wine red and looked wholly unnatural in his face.

"Well played Tsunayoshi," Mukuro murmured, still staring.

The creep factor ticked up several notches because Tsuna couldn't remember introducing himself during their conversation.

"Have a good day," Tsuna repeated and manners be damned, he left the trolley where it was and skirted widely around Mukuro to ensconce himself safely into his car.

When he double checked his mirrors to make sure he didn't run Mukuro over, absolute weirdo or not, he was gone. A quick scan of the carpark showed it to be completely bare. Tsuna honestly wondered if he'd hallucinated the whole thing.

* * *

When he got home it was somehow worse. Elbowing the door open had caused the base of it to slide gently over a piece of expensive, folded paper.

Setting down the bags of groceries he was burdened with just inside the door, Tsuna picked it up and unfolded it.

 _Sorry about Mukuro-sama's actions today. He has been informed that they were unnecessary and possibly confusing and alarming. All the best, Chrome Dokuro._

The paper was thick and good quality, the penmanship neat.

Tsuna honestly just wanted to know how the hell they had discovered where he lived, and who on earth this Chrome Dokuro was.

Putting away his food was more concerning anyway. With any luck, he'd never have to see Mukuro again.

* * *

A hand slapped down on the phone threatening to buzz its way off the table with the force of its vibrations.

Ryohei lit up upon reading the caller idea, swiping to answer and pressing the phone to his face with delight.

"Kyoko-chan!"

" _Ryo-nii,"_ Kyoko greeted back warmly. _"How are you doing?"_

"Extremely well!" Ryohei replied, sitting back in the chair he'd hastily vacated to answer his phone. "Is everything okay? It's not the day for you to be calling."

Kyoko giggled on the other end of the phone and Ryohei was a little worried to hear the nervousness in it.

" _I have a favour to ask,"_ Kyoko admitted, and by the tone of her voice Ryohei imagined her twirling her hair around her finger and blinking her eyes wide as she used to when she wanted their parents to agree to something.

"Anything for you," Ryohei said cheerfully.

" _My friend from university, Tsuna-kun, he moved in near to you today. Granny Kaoru's cottage, by the sea."_

"Oh, I'll have to extremely introduce myself!"

" _Be gentle with him,"_ Kyoko immediately chided. _"He's new to being by himself."_

"I will," Ryohei was more solemn then.

" _Thank you."_ Kyoko's tone of voice changed then, all business-like and Ryohei sat up from where he had slouched slightly. _"You'll need a pen and paper."_

Ryohei fumbled to do as told, and with one hand on the pen poised above paper, the other holding the phone to his face.

"Ready," he said slowly.

" _His full name is Sawada Tsunayoshi,"_ Kyoko began, and then with an uncanniness, began rattling off other details with barely a breath in between, _"He's approximately one-hundred-and-seventy-one centimetres tall and weighs around one-hundred-and-forty-eight pounds, but that might have changed, it's been a few weeks. His blood type is A, and his favourite food is Salisbury steak, though he's quite fond of fried eggs as well so long as they're made well. He has brown hair – a lot of it actually – and brown eyes too."_

"Kyoko-chan," Ryohei laughed nervously. "You know a lot."

" _Of course,"_ Kyoko replied primly. _"He's one of my precious people after all. Maybe he'll be one of yours too. He's a nice guy."_

"Ah, ah, I see," Ryohei nodded sagely although she couldn't see. "I'll look after him with my life."

Kyoko giggled again, nervous still.

" _I'm sure it won't come to that Ryo-nii, but if you could…look after him for you, I'd appreciate it."_

"Granny Kaoru helped me plenty of times," Ryohei told her, seriously. "If I could pass on just a fraction of that help back, I will."

" _Thank you,"_ Kyoko breathed in reply. _"I'm going to sleep now. I'll send you a photo of Tsuna so you recognise him. Make sure you get plenty of rest, and eat properly!"_

"I will," Ryohei promised and let his phone down.

Kyoko had asked him a favour. He wouldn't let her down.

* * *

I have absolutely no impulse control.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two - Where Nothing Is As It Seems

The morning _had_ started out well. Tsuna had woken up, bundled in the covers of his new bed and listened to the crashing waves of the tide pressing against the shore, closer than the night before.

He'd gone downstairs, bundled in a dressing gown and slippers and chose to forego breakfast in favour of brewing coffee. Stepping onto the patio, he'd simply breathed the sea air, knuckles going cold in the breeze but palms kept warm by the coffee he cradled.

After breakfast, everything had gone weird, horribly fast.

Tsuna had been crossing the living room, one of his still packed boxes balanced in his arms, a collection of books and movies for one of the empty shelves, when he'd caught sight of a blob of black next to his car parked in the driveway.

Turning fully, he saw it was a person and nearly dropped the box. His first thought was indignation, but it was quickly drowned under the flash of unease that curdled in his gut.

His best quality was his ability to drown out problems too small to be a real cause of concern. So if a man wanted to stand in his driveway, dressed in an all-black suit and hat, as if Tsuna's new home wasn't in the middle of nowhere, Tsuna would let him.

But surely, another cup of coffee would settle his nerves.

By the time his third coffee had been drunk, and Tsuna had unpacked another box, the weirdness continued. On his cursory glance out of the window, to check if the weirdo was still there – he was – Tsuna was in the process of flattening an empty box when something even stranger happened.

Opposite his house was woodland. The asphalt of the road abruptly met with tall, dark green trees, leaves swaying, branches heavy with age.

From between them stepped a man, dressed in the traditional postal service, bag and all slung over his shoulder looking very unruffled for what must have been a brutal hike.

Tsuna knew he lived very _un_ local. There was no way to reach the cottage by foot, unless you wanted to take the several mile trek from the town on tight country roads, or through densely packed forest. There wasn't even a footpath through the woods to the town; Tsuna would have to drive over a mile down the road to reach the nearest footpath which would take him out to a road nearer to the town but nowhere within it.

Muffled, but loud enough, he heard the postman greet the strange man in his drive through with a cheery, "Good morning!"

The strange man simply inclined his head, the first movement Tsuna had seen him make all morning – the three hours he'd been there anyway. It had taken him a long moment to wonder if it was just hazing, a statue of a random character in his driveway. But no, this was a person.

The postman dropped several letters into his mailbox – a mailbox that Tsuna wouldn't be approaching so long as there was a man in his driveway – and then inexplicably made his way to the front door, giving it three, sure hard knocks.

He wasn't holding any parcels the mailbox wouldn't hold. Tsuna briefly wondered if he was going to get murdered on his second day but decided to bite the bullet as it were and answered the door.

Only a crack, though.

"Good morning!" The postman greeted him, if possibly, more cheerily than he'd greeted the man in his drive.

Out of his peripheral, Tsuna saw the strange man shift his weight.

"I'm Sasagawa Ryohei," the postman continued, and Tsuna's head snapped up in rapt attention as he eased the door open a little wider.

"Kyoko-chan's brother!"

"That's right!" Ryohei was downright delighted and, as he grinned at Tsuna, Tsuna felt Ryohei was also downright delightful too.

"It's nice to meet you," Tsuna said sincerely. "I've heard a lot of good things. Would you – would you like to come in? I can put a pot of coffee on." Probably not a good idea giving the tremble of his fingers from all of his coffee drinking to kill the nervousness from before. Bashfully, he remembered he was still in his pyjamas and dressing gown, probably a little flushed from his unpacking efforts. He was not a fit man.

"I'm extremely busy today," Ryohei said, sounding genuinely disappointed. "But perhaps we can meet up some other time! I've heard many wonderful things about you too!"

"Oh, of course," Tsuna replied, flustered. "Don't let me keep you from your job, I'm sorry."

"No need to apologise!" Ryohei reached out for Tsuna's hand and Tsuna, bewildered, let him. A folded square of paper was pushed into his palm, Ryohei grinning wide.

Tsuna unfolded it to the scrawl of numbers.

"Let me know if there's anything I can do to help your stay here!" Ryohei added, and if his grin turned sharp when his eyes darted to the stranger in Tsuna's driveway, Tsuna didn't see it, feeling bashful all over again at the number.

"Thank you," Tsuna murmured, folding the number back up and keeping it tucked reverently in his palm. "Have a good day, Sasagawa-san."

"Please call me Ryohei!"

"Then, please call me Tsuna," Tsuna offered in return, rewarded with another blinding smile. Ryohei put his hand on Tsuna's shoulder and squeezed, voice going softer.

"I _really_ hope you enjoy your time here. Have an extremely good day!"

Ryohei stepped back, sparing one more unreadable look to the stranger and despite the completely mundane conversation they'd just had, Tsuna watched as Ryohei just up and disappeared back into the woods he'd come from like it wasn't a nearly impossible terrain to traverse.

Then Tsuna slammed and locked the door, throwing the bolt across for good measure.

Not once had they mentioned the weirdo on his property. Maybe he should have asked Ryohei for advice.

* * *

It was nearing lunchtime and the stranger was _still_ there. Tsuna had cycled away from anxious, to annoyed, back to anxious, to concerned, back to annoyed. The weather wasn't freezing, but it certainly wasn't warm on the coast at this time of the year.

And there was no saying how long the person had been there. He certainly hadn't been then when Tsuna had opened the curtains first thing before coffee, but he'd been there an hour later when he'd passed by, and certainly stayed there since then.

Tsuna stared at the cup of rice already in his cooker, perfect for a meal for one. Then he dug the cup back into the rice bag and added another liberally filled cupful to the cooker. He set it up, hit the timer, and dug out his phone.

 **12: 46 Tsuna:** _would you like dinner tonight? Sorry for short notice._

 **12: 48 Gokudera (Lawyer):** _Tonight is perfectly fine. Please send a time. I will be free._

Tsuna debated the contents of his kitchen, wanting to make a good first impression as more than client with Gokudera.

 **12:51 Tsuna:** _is between six and seven acceptable?_

 **12:51 Gokudera (Lawyer):** _I will see you then._

There. Now if his current, absolutely stupid, decision got him killed, someone would discover his body or disappearance in the next six hours. Sorted.

Double checking the rice cooker, Tsuna sucked in a quick nervous breath, drawing on what he imagined his gran would do in a situation like this, kind hearted and lovable as she had been. He ran upstairs, tearing off his still worn pyjamas and exchanging them for socially acceptable clothes before he returned downstairs and faced the door.

The latch was unlatched, the door was unlocked, and with another quick, fortifying breath, Tsuna opened the door in a sharp motion.

"If all you're going to do is stand out there all day," he started, his voice breaking embarrassingly on the first word, "do you want to come in for some lunch?"

The man made an aborted movement, like he was going to flinch and had refrained from following through with it. Tsuna kept his white knuckled grip on the door handle, in case he had to slam it shut in the face of an actual maniac.

"Pardon?"

The man had eyes as black as his suit. Tsuna hysterically wondered if they were as black as his soul, because who was weird enough, or cruel enough, to just hang around outside of his _house_ for so long and worry him so much.

"Did you want some lunch? You've been out there all day." This time his voice didn't crack. The man turned to face him, and Tsuna let his eyes briefly track over his shoulder to glance down what was visible of the road. No car. _How_ had this stranger gotten here? Tsuna would have most definitely heard a taxi or bus pull up.

He stepped closer.

Cool, cool, cool, Tsuna thought, opening the door wider in invitation. His hand still felt too tight around the handle, his fingers close to cramping.

"I'm Sawada Tsunayoshi," he offered, to continue being polite. He kept his hand to himself. This was another person who he wouldn't be offering his hand for a handshake to. For the sake of keeping his hand, of course, not because he was creeped out in any more capacity than he already was.

Close up, the man towered over Tsuna. He lifted a hand to remove his hat from his head, arm ramrod straight down his side, hat flush with his leg. Even his hair was black. There were curls of hair that bounced by his cheeks. Tsuna bit his tongue trying not to laugh. Or cry. Even his _sideburns_ were weird.

"Reborn."

All sorts of good people had one name, Tsuna deliberated. Madonna. Cher. Bono. He didn't dare ask for a second name, or any kind of elaboration. Instead, he stepped aside and opened the door fully.

Reborn, if that even was his real name, lingered on the doorstep. Tsuna had the quickest, craziest thought that, if he had to invite this man across his threshold before he could be allowed in, he'd be barricading every entrance instead.

But Reborn stepped through and Tsuna shut the door behind him, keeping his back to the man and the room at large, wondering if he was being the biggest idiot in all the land because what else was he.

"You're Kaoru's grandson," Reborn said, taking in the space with barely a glance as he toed off his shiny shoes before walking towards the windows across the room, the one's that splayed from wall to wall, barely a gap in between to encompass the ocean.

"Yes, I am. She gave me the house in her will." Tsuna watched him, and when no more conversation was forthcoming, he retreated into the kitchen, trying his best to ignore the prickling at the back of his neck that warned of someone in the house that normally wouldn't be there.

If Reborn complained at the lacklustre options that Tsuna laid out on the table, rice, miso soup, side dishes, like his grandmother had shown him how to make in that very kitchen, then he could get lost.

Instead, something wickedly like nostalgia crossed Reborn's face at the spread. And in a very, very deliberate motion, he shrugged off his jacket and hung it delicately at the coat rack by the front door.

As Reborn returned and sat down and Tsuna set the last plate on the table with a soft clunk of china to wood, he asked, "Would you like a drink? I haven't many options, I'm afraid."

"Water is fine."

Tsuna felt Reborn's eyes track him back to the kitchen, and when he returned to the table, nothing had been touched.

"You can help yourself," Tsuna added, setting a glass down by Reborn's placemat.

"It would be rude, to start without the host," Reborn waited until Tsuna was sat, watched unerringly close as Tsuna served himself, and then moved to pick at the dishes himself.

"Let me know how it is," Tsuna murmured, and dug in with fervour, hungry from the hard work unpacking his multitude of boxes. And it meant he didn't have to hold a conversation with the weirdo he had invited into his home.

Reborn was more reserved, eating more civilly than Tsuna was, taking measured sips of water between bites. It made sweat bead at the back of Tsuna's neck, because it was exactly like someone trying their best to be human acting it out. It was not natural at all.

"I'm sorry," Reborn suddenly said into the not quite silence of two people eating. "About Kaoru. She was…"

Tsuna suddenly felt a lump in his throat and he was forced to put his chopsticks down, blinking down at his plate of scattered food and trying to ignore the burn of tears that had decided to take residence in his eyes.

It wasn't a fresh hurt. It wasn't quite old, either. Not even half a year, yet. Tsuna cleared his throat, and then again, trying to clear the lump. He probably cleared his throat one too many times before he managed to speak.

"Thank you – you don't have to," Tsuna began, "I mean." He swallowed, looked up at Reborn who had also stopped eating, and hated how his voice went small as he asked, "What was she like?"

"She was well loved," Reborn replied easily. "A pillar of this community. She kept her health very well…very well hidden."

"It was definitely a shock," Tsuna murmured. "When the letter came through, and Gokudera-san followed after." Shame clogged his throat for a moment, tasting bitter. "I should have visited more often."

"It may not be the same coming from me," Reborn began lightly, as if choosing his words, "but she loved you, dearly. I can't pretend to know the pain you have felt with her passing, but she was…"

"She was," Tsuna simply agreed, and picked up his napkin to scrub at his eyes. "That's all she needed to be, was herself."

"I'm sorry for bringing up a difficult topic. Would you like me to leave?"

Reborn did seem sorry. He also seemed somehow critical in a way that Tsuna didn't want to analyse.

"No, no. I invited you for lunch and you haven't even managed to get halfway there yet. I'm not going to kick you out for talking about my grandmother, I loved her. I still love her. I'd love to know everything about her that I missed. Just…not now." Not when it was still raw. Tsuna wasn't sure the wound would ever fully close.

Reborn silently picked up his chopsticks and continued eating. After a moment of trying his best not to sniffle, Tsuna did the same.

The silence wasn't comfortable, but it wasn't overbearing either.

* * *

There were leftovers – Reborn's eating, freakishly inhumane or not, was light, like a bird. Tsuna dutifully packed them up, taking plates to the kitchen as he asked, out of obligation to be a good host more than anything, if Reborn wanted coffee.

Reborn stood at the doors that led to the deck, eyes far on the sea as the kettle boiled and Tsuna packed food away into tubs.

"Did you want to have coffee on the patio?" Tsuna asked, closing the fridge on the boxes of food. "Take a seat, I'll bring the tray out." More coffee for him was probably a bad decision. He'd made many bad decisions today. One more wouldn't hurt.

He heard as Reborn crossed to the door and returned, shoes in hand. Tsuna wouldn't have begrudged him putting the shoes on to cross the main floor but some habits died hard. The click of the door shutting was nearly drowned out by the kettle, and Tsuna glanced over as Reborn stepped down towards the beach.

It was fine. The coffee needed time to cool, and Tsuna could clean the dishes until Reborn was ready to drink.

He was okay, for a weirdo.

But when Tsuna turned around, coffee mugs nicely aligned on his tray, a little jug of milk, tiny sugar cubes and all, there was no sign of Reborn, anywhere.

Going outside and setting the tray down on the outdoor table, there weren't even any footprints in the sand. Tsuna took a seat, sorting out his own coffee. Adding sugar and milk, he watched the waves.

If Reborn wanted to disappear as quickly as he appeared, he was welcome. Tsuna sipped his coffee indulgently and listened to the sea.

It hadn't been all bad after all.

He would have thought it all a hallucination if he hadn't gone back inside to dump the spare coffee and put the dishes to dry and seen the left behind jacket.

* * *

"Gokudera-san! It's good to see you!" Tsuna greeted Gokudera warmly, as if he hadn't seen him the day before. Gokudera gave him the beginnings of an answering smile that froze as his eyes crossed to the jacket slung up over the coat rack.

"Someone came to visit?" he asked, voice stringent, and Tsuna followed his gaze.

"Oh, yeah. Some person just stood in my drive for hours and I worried about him, so I asked if he wanted some lunch. He left after and forgot to take his jacket." Tsuna neglected to mention how he was sure the strange Reborn had just disappeared off the face of the planet.

The look Gokudera gave him was reminiscent of the looks Kyoko would give Tsuna when she was disappointed in his life choices.

"I know," Tsuna immediately placated.

"Did he give you his name at least?"

"Reborn, or something ridiculous like that." Tsuna stepped aside, suddenly realising how rude he was being at letting Gokudera just linger on the doorstep. "Sorry, sorry, come in. Would you like me to take your coat?"

"Are you going to return it?" Gokudera asked, shrugging off his own coat and hanging it up before Tsuna's hands could take it from him.

"To be honest," Tsuna admitted, "I don't know where he came from or where he went. If he wants it back, he'll have to come and get it. If it weren't for the fact that it was there, I thought maybe I'd imagined the whole thing."

A rigidness seemed to leave Gokudera then; his shoulders lowered and the smile that rose to his face was less taut. Tsuna glanced as surreptitiously as he could between Gokudera and the jacket, wondering what was so bothersome about it.

"I could take it down and fold it into a bag I guess…" he mused, reaching for the black material. Gokudera's hand snatched at his wrist and when Tsuna looked up at him, startled, there was panic on his face.

"Sorry!" Gokudera hastily let go, clearing his throat. "Just – just leave it there. I know Reborn. He'll see it's missing soon enough and come and get it."

Tsuna just wanted a nice dinner with the normal lawyer and even that was going absolutely bonkers. Hand still half raised, he watched Gokudera as, his hand lowered back down, the other man relaxed in increments.

"You're right I guess," he relented. "How do you know Reborn?"

"Everyone knows everyone here," Gokudera supplied not so helpfully. Tsuna waited a long moment to see if he'd elaborate, but he didn't.

"Okay." Tsuna said, to fill the silence. "Would you like to take a seat? I'll bring dinner out soon."

"Let me help," Gokudera offered. "I can at least set the table or pour drinks."

"You're a guest," Tsuna protested.

"And you're the host. You're giving me a meal. It's the least _I_ can do to help."

"Gokudera," Tsuna replied, voice stern enough that Gokudera seemed to stand to attention, "You helped my family through a very, _very_ hard time. You've done more than enough to help. Please, just sit down and let's have a hopefully nice evening. Please."

Gokudera stood still, stubbornly, for a good few seconds as Tsuna stared him down.

"It doesn't have to be at the table," Tsuna added softly. "I can just let you know when it's ready."

Gokudera faltered for a second, before bowing his head subtly. "Thank you. Then, I will take a seat."

Tsuna relaxed, unsure as to when his shoulders had gone stiff and tense, but he watched as Gokudera picked his way across the room to perch on one of the sofas. After a moment's hesitation, he even reached towards the adjacent bookcase, and Tsuna sighed in relief as his guest relaxed.

Apart from the jacket incident. Tsuna eyed the offending garment as he walked to and from the kitchen and decided, that if Gokudera purposefully left without _his_ jacket, Tsuna would cut his losses and never socialise again.

He'd have to keep a journal, and that way if he turned insane at least Kyoko and his parents would have the information necessary to know why he'd lost his mind.

Tsuna abruptly stopped pouring water into a glass, suddenly remembering that while he'd taken Ryohei's number and shoved it into a pocket, he hadn't actually punched the number into his phone.

The guilt set in almost immediately, as he wondered if Ryohei had been waiting for a text or confirmation all day.

A quick, cursory glance of his kitchen showed he had enough time and that pots wouldn't simmer and bubble over while he was gone. Taking the water glasses with him, he set them down at the table, two places, and eerily reminiscent of that afternoon. If Gokudera went out onto his deck and disappeared, leaving his jacket behind, Tsuna was calling the police.

He froze at that notion, hung over the table. In fact, he probably wouldn't, at risk of Hibari showing up on his front door step and learning where he lived – if he didn't already.

If Hibari didn't know where everyone was at any one time, Tsuna would buy a hat and eat it. That was the impression the man left after just two minutes. But still, despite everything that had happened this day versus the previous, nothing could yet top the terrifying duo of Mukuro and the unmet Chrome.

"I'm just running upstairs, and then dinner should be ready," Tsuna told Gokudera as he passed by the sofa. Gokudera was thumbing through a fiction novel and nodded in acknowledgement, making sure to meet Tsuna's eye and smile while he was it.

Tsuna knew he was just trying to be polite but it felt a little, tiny bit intimate. It was probably his overworked brain nitpicking even the smallest of things. He vowed he'd never drink quite so much coffee ever again.

His pyjamas were hastily thrown onto his unmade bed, from where he'd rushed to get changed before entertaining the notion of lunch and inviting Reborn into his home. In the dressing gown pocket was the piece of paper Ryohei had given him that morning.

He entered the number into his contacts and quickly typed out a message, thumbs flying over the screen even as he walked back towards the stairs, eyes on his phone.

 **18:32 Tsuna:** _sorry for taking so long! this is Tsuna, you gave me your number this monring_

 **18:32 Tsuna:** _morning*_

Sorted. If Ryohei replied, then Tsuna could check after - oh, his phone was already buzzing.

 **18:33 Ryohei:** _That's extremely okay! Glad to hear from you!_

Tsuna felt a smile cross his face briefly.

 **18:34 Ryohei:** _Did that man ever leave your driveway?_

Tsuna suddenly wanted to wail. Why hadn't Ryohei mentioned anything at the time?!

 **18:36 Tsuna:** _it's all sorted. talk to you later!_

 **18:37 Ryohei:** _Enjoy your dinner!_

Tsuna missed the last step on the stairs and cursed as he staggered and nearly hit the floor, hand thrown out so he could catch himself on the banister.

How in the hell did Ryohei know Tsuna was about to have dinner? Unbidden, his eyes darted to the window, but as the sun had started to set earlier in the evening he'd already drawn the curtains. Nobody could see in.

"Tsuna?" Gokudera asked, concerned as he rose from the sofa. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, thank you Gokudera-san," Tsuna placated. "Just missed the step. But, if you like, you can sit at the table now. I'll set dinner out in a moment." Everyone he had thought as even the slightest bit normal was turning out to be weird.

Gokudera's moment could probably be credited to a dislike for Reborn, perhaps, considering his reluctance to speak about how he knew him, and how he hadn't liked him being in Tsuna's house.

Ryohei and Reborn was just on a whole different level of weird. Reborn, with his lingering in the driveway for hours and disappearing, Ryohei with his emergence from dense woodland, subsequent disappearance into dense woodland, and innate knowledge that let him know Tsuna was about to have dinner.

Gokudera just didn't like Reborn. That's all it was.

Tsuna turned the cooker off and set the table with cutlery, organising neatly next to the placemats and water. Then he returned to the kitchen to scoop food into bowls and plates, setting it up neatly.

Gokudera probably wouldn't mind the presentation, but Tsuna was really hoping to make a good impression, if he hadn't already blown it with having invited Reborn in earlier.

Surely Gokudera wouldn't be that petty. Surely.

Taking his seat, Tsuna found it strange to see that Gokudera hadn't started eating yet, but as Tsuna picked up his chopsticks so did he.

"So how have you found your first day?" Gokudera asked carefully into the silence.

Weird, Tsuna wanted to say.

"Tiring," he offered. "I did much of my unpacking today. Then obviously…" his eyes darted to the coat rack.

"Was he a bother?" Gokudera asked, and now his voice was serious, a steely glint to his eye.

"Oh, no, he just…" Tsuna glanced down at his plate, feeling like he was suffering from deja-vu. "We spoke about my grandmother."

He set his chopsticks down neatly to the side and dabbed at his mouth with a napkin as he tried to find the right words. When he looked up, Gokudera had also set aside his cutlery and Tsuna was almost thankful for the sombre atmosphere that was brought around by it.

"Gokudera-san," Tsuna began. "Really, truly, honestly, I would like to thank you so much for what you've done for me and my family. Grandma's passing was hard but...you dealt with everything complicated so we could grieve."

Tsuna leaned forward and touched Gokudera's wrist, trying to convey through touch as well as words.

"From the bottom of my heart, _thank you."_

The only explanation that Tsuna had for what happened next was that somehow, inexplicably, Gokudera had set the table cloth on fire with his bare skin.

* * *

Hello, yes, welcome back to my self-indulgence. I hope you enjoyed your visit!


End file.
